Coin control



April 7, 1942. .1. w. SRODULSKI 2,278,676

4 com CONTROL Filed Nov. do, 1938 Jose WSro jl i i ORN ' H15 ATTPatented Apr. 7, 1942.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE COIN CONTROL Joseph W. Srodulski, Chicago,Ill.

Application November 30, 1938, Serial No. 243,236

6 Claims? (01. 194-497) This invention pertains to coin controlapparatus for use in vending and other coin-operated and controlleddevices, and has as one of its important objects the provision of amanual control and an actuating member arranged to be coupled foroperation of the latter by the former by a suitable coin.

A further important object is the provision of a reciprocable manualcontrol and a reciprocable actuating member arranged for movement in thesame direction as the manual control, and means on the manual controland actuating member engageable with a coin element to couple thecontrol and actuating member for joint movement, together with cointesting mechanism arranged to deliver a suitable coin into operativerelationship with the control and actuating member.

Another object is the provision of means cooperating with a manualcontrol slide and an actuating slide, adapted to be coupled by a coinelement, for preventing retrograde movement of either the manual controlor actuating slide after the same have been moved a predetermineddistance in their operative strokes.

A further object is a novel combination of coacting operating slidemembers arranged to reciprocate in the same direction and arranged to becoupled together for joint movement by a coin element, coin testingmeans arranged to 1.

test and deliver certain coin elements into operative coupling relationwith the slides, and blocking mechanism coacting with the testing meansand slides for preventing delivery of an otherwise acceptable coinelement from the testing device into position for coupling relation withthe slide members when the latter are already coupled by a coin element.

Other novel aspects and objects of the invention reside in certaindetails of construction, form, location, and operation of the componentparts of the illustrative embodiment hereinafter described inconjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear perspective of the entire control unit;

Fig. 2 is a vertical side section through the device of Fig. 1; whileFig. 3 is a fragmentary rear perspective of the coin-coupled slides withportions cut away to show the full stroke means.

Referring to Fig. 2, a preferred arrangement includes a housing I0pivotally attached as at H to a relatively stationary cabinet member l2in which is situated a coin receptacle l3 having a coin receivingopening I4 disposed below a floor member which is secured to the housingportion l0 and constitutes a floor for the latter.

slidably mounted in the lower sleeve section of a guide casting l6(Figs. 1 and 3 also) is an actuating member or ejecting slide IT in theform of an inverted pan provided with an elongated slot l8 extendingcentrally therein in the direction of reciprocable movement of the slidein the sleeve portion IS. The down-turned marginal wall portions l9 ofthe ejecting member slide on the floor l5. Formed transversely near oneend of the slot iii in the ejecting slide or pan, is a coin slot 20.

The ejecting slide I1 is intended to move in and out of the sleevecasting l6 (toward the left as viewed in all figures), the ejectingslide being normally positioned as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

Means for operating or reciprocating the actuating member or slide I1includes the provision of a reciprocable manual operating or controlslide 25 also slidably mounted as at 26 (Figs. 1 and 3) in oppositeoffset flanges l6 of the guide casting Hi, the manual control slidebeing movable back and forth codirectionally with the actuating slidel1.

Depending from the under side of the rear (right-hand) end of the manualcontrol slide is a pair of spaced pins 28 which project into thelongitudinally extensive slot I8 in the cooperating ejecting slide 11,the pins 28 being spaced in the longitudinal direction of the slides.When the control slide 25 is withdrawn (toward the left), the pins 28will be moved into register with the transverse coin slot 20 in theejecting slide, and there is. a transverse coin receiving slot 29'arranged in the operating slide above the space between the pins 28 sothat should a coin be deposited in the slot 29 when the latter and thepins 28 are in alignment or register with the slot 20 in the actuatingslide, the coin would gravitate into the latter slot, and should thecoin be of a predetermined requisite diameter it would rest on the floorportion I5 with upper parts of the coin lying in the slot 29, as well asthe slot 20 of the cooperating slide members, with the result that aninward (right-hand) movement of the control slide would also effectcorresponding movement of the actuating or ejecting slide l1.

Thus, the cooperating slide members are arranged and constructed to becoupled by a suitable coin element.

When the manual control slide has reached the limit of its inward(right-hand) movement,

the depending pins or fingers 28, as well as the slots and 29, will bepositioned above a dropout opening provided in the floor portion i5 inregister with the deposit opening M in the coin receptacle l3 so thatthe coupling coin will gravitate out of the slots in the slide memberstheretofore coupled by the same, and into the coin box. The foregoingmovement of the slides constitutes an operating stroke, and the controlmechanism is intended to be associated with a coin-operated vendingmachine or analogous device in which the slide l7 actuates somecontrolled instrumentality. In the illustrative arrangement of Fig. 2,articles of merchandise M are stacked behind the control unit so thatthe lowermost article will be engaged by the rear vertical wall portionI!) of the slide I! and dislodged from the bottom of the stack.Obviously, the actuating slide I1 may be arranged to operate a multitudeof instrumentalities.

Means for preventing retrograde movement of either of the slides oncethe same have been started upon their inward operating stroke, includesthe provision of depressions 3! in the floor plate I5, the depressionsbeing arranged in serial alignment and tilting downwardly in a directionopposite to the direction of effective movement of the slide members; inother terms, the effective operating stroke of the slide members istoward the right in Fig. 2, and the serially aligned depressions 3| tiltdownwardly toward the left. As a coin rides along the floor I5 underurgence of the coupled slide members, the lower edge thereof will rideinto and out of the formations 3| interfering with the movement of theslides toward the right; however, as soon as the slides 25 or H areretracted before reaching their full stroke, the coin will drop into thelower portion of one of the depressions 3i and bear against the edgeportion 32 thereof and effectively lock the slides against furtherretractive movement. By this means it is impossible to retract theslides after the same have been started in their operative stroke untilthe full operating stroke is completed.

Means for testing and delivering coin elements into coupling relationwith the slides includes a coin testing unit 35 mounted within thehousing I 0 above the slide member. This testing unit is preferably,though not necessarily, of the construction shown in U. S. Patent2,073,392, issued to one Knee, and this type of testing device comprisesa casing 35 which includes a coin chamber 36 which is disposed beneath acoin deposit opening 31 in the housing it when the testing unit is inassembled relation with the latter, and in which chamber coin elementsare retained in testing position opposite a plurality of testing fingers38 by legs 39K of a U-shaped member 38K projecting into the chamber andagainst which the edge of a coin rests when the latter is firstdeposited in the device.

The coin testing device of the Knee patent includes a verticallyreciprocable plate 39 arranged in the casing 35 for downward move ment.Depression of this plate 39 will urge a baffle 90, pivoted at 9!,counter-clockwise by reason of a cam action at 90a to draw a bolt 88,seated in the free end of a lever 89 adapted to move with baffle 90, tothe right as seen in Figure 2. Bolt 88 being carried by flanges 86Kextending from the upper end of a presser plate 26K pivoted at its lowerend at UK will when moved to the right as aforesaid to draw the upperend of the presser plate 26K to the right thus rocking the latterclockwise on its pivot mounting UK. A set screw 27K is carried by theplate 26K adjacent the testing fingers 38 so that coins held on the legs39K will, by reason of the rocking movement of the plate 26K, be pressedagainst the feelers 38 and by reason of a coin being located in thetesting position, presser plate 26K will be limited in its movement. Apin 91 carried by flange 86K will urge a rod 98 pivoted at 99counter-clockwise against the action of a spring I00, and by reason ofthe limited movement of the presser plate 26K the lower end of the rod93 will be positioned directly above an opening 79K formed in thehorizontal portion of a gate 40, pivoted at 17K thereby freeing gate 50for pivotal movement by its spring 66K into a position to permit goodcoins to gravitate to the right of the gate 49. Facial readings of thecoin by feelers 38 will cause the latter to pivot about annular ring58K, the free ends of said feelers spreading or moving out from normalposition, and upon proper facial reading one or more of the ends of saidfeelers 38 will abut rims 543 on collar 54K which under normalconditions would be urged to the left through its coupling with lever58K, the latter of which is urged to the left by spring 56K when face64K of plate 39 is depressed or dropped away from supporting engagementwith detent 58A of the lever 58K. Such abutment of feelers 38 with themember 54b prevents the lower end of 58K from latching the horizontalarm of gate 4i] against counter-clockwise movement thereby permittingthe flag to assume a position where good coins will be dropped to theright of the vertical portion thereof. The downward movement of plate 39through an extension 65E thereof engages a portion I30 of the lever 121Kto pivot the latter clockwise and withdraw the legs 39K of the U-shapedmember 38K, the bight portion of which is disposed in a yoke formed inthe lever l2lK. Downward movement of the plate 39 further releases alever pivoted at 86 for clockwise movement by spring 94 with nose 95A ofsaid lever 85 pressing into the passage 36 to prevent additional coinsfrom passing. EX- treme downward movement of plate 39 causes finger 65bthereof to bear down on lever 89 to release the latter from latchingengagement with bolt 83 thereby freeing pressure plate 26K and allowingthe tested coin to gravitate to the right of the gate 40 out of thetesting unit and into a passage 42, constituting a delivery chamber, themouth 43 of which overlies the operating slide 25. If the testingapparatus is not properly actuated by the coin the gate 40 will not movefrom its position in Figure 2, with the result that the coin willgravitate down over the outer face 44 of a member defining the passage42, thereafter being accessible to the patron through an opening 45 inthe front of the housing.

In the event that the coin is accepted as aforesaid, its lower edge willrest on the operating slid 25 at the lower mouth 43 of the passage 42,and when the operating slide is fully retracted the coin will gravitatethrough the slot 29 between the fingers 28 and into the slot 20 in theslide IT and rest on the fioor 15 with the upper parts of the coin stillprojecting into the slot 20 and between the fingers 28, a pair ofupstanding lugs 45 being provided at the rearward margins of the opening20 as abutments against which the coin bears when th slides are movedtogether, so that the slides will be coupled for joint movement when theoperating slide 25 is subsequently pushed inwardly in the mannerheretofore described, the coin ultimately finding its way through thopenings 39 and M and into the coin box l3.

The coin depository 31 is automatically blocked when the supply ofmerchandise is exhausted, this being effected through the agency of ablocking rod 58 having an end portion slidable in a sleeve extendingtransversely through th deposit opening, the opposite end of the rodbeing pivotally connected as at 52 with the upper end of a lever 53which is pivoted as at 54 on the housing and which has a lower feelerend 55 disposed to engage an article of merchandise above the bottommostarticl in the stack. So long as there is an article to engage the feelerportion 55, the lever 53 will be pivoted in a clockwise direction towithdraw the end of the stop ping rod 55 from blocking position acrossthe coin depository, and when the next to last article is vended fromthe stack, the lever 53 is pivoted by a spring 56 (Fig. 1 also) toproject the rod iii? in blocking position.

Means providing an operating connection between the slide 25 and thecoin testing mechanism includes the provision of a dog leg lever (iiipivoted as at ti on the testing unit and having a lower ofiset lug 62 onwhich is mounted a roller 53 disposed to be engaged by a cam member 54which forms part of a cross strap 65 attached by means of screws 66transversely on the slide :25. When the slide 25 is retracted (towardthe left), th cam 64, bearing against the roller 53, pivots the lever 60and the latter is provided with a horizontally projecting pin 6'!engaged in the operating arm 39 of the testing unit, this operating armbeing pulled downwardl each time the manual operating slide is retractedto effect operation of the various testing mechanisms employed in thedevice 35.

A lever 19 pivoted as at H on a post 12 mounted on the housing wall, hasa free end portion 13 projected in a slot Hi disposed in a horizontallyoffset flange '55 on the transverse strap 65, and the lever w is urgedin an anti-clockwise direction by a coil spring 16 disposed on a post 17having a slot E8 in which the lever works against the spring, the resultbeing that the manual operating slid 25 is urged into its normalposition, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, by the lever ment into couplingrelation with the slides, in-

eludes an offset pawl or feeler 83 (Fig. 2 particularly) pivotallymounted as at 8| beneath the testing device and having a nose portionnormally projecting into a slot 82 at one side of the lower coindelivery passage 42. The dog leg 1ever to is provided with an ofiset lug83 extended to bear against the feeler 80 to project the latter in adirection to dispose its nose in the slot 82. If there is a coin in thelower portion of the chamber 32 as a result of the control slide beingin a position where the coin slot thereof is out of register with themouth 43, the feeler 8!] cannot move, and as a result, the offset 83 onthe dog leg cannot mov upwardly and therefore the operating arm 39 ofthe coin testing devic cannot be raised to normal position. As a resultof the foregoing inability of the arm 39 to return to normally raisedposition, and due to the fact that the coin testing device is providedwith a blocking finger 85 which .is pivoted as at 86 and arranged to beprojected into blocking position across the coin chamber 36 when themain operating arm 39 of the testing device is lowered as aforesaid, nocoins can pass from the depository 31 in the housing through the testingchamber 38 toward the operating slides so long as a coin is retained infront of the nose of the feeler lever 80.

Operation Assuming articles of merchandise M to be disposed in themagazine of the vending machine, the patron deposits a proper coinelement in the opening 3'1, and this coin element descends into aposition substantially opposite the testing feelers 38 where the coin isheld by horizontally slidable pins. Thereafter, the operator will graspthe handle on slide and retract the latter (toward the left), whichaction will cause the cam 64 to bear against the roller 63 and pivot thedog leg so as to pull the tester operating plate 39 downwardly, thislatter operation causing the coin to be pressed against the feelers 38and the withdrawal of the sustaining pins substantially at the sametime, so that the coin is tested and released for descending movementtoward the gate ib. If the coin is of acceptable nature, the testingapparatus will have conditioned the mechanism so that the gate fill willbe pivoted out of the path of the coin when the latter is freed so thatthe coin will descend into the passage 42 past the nose of the feeler8!) into the slot 29 and down into the slot 29 on the ejecting oractuating slide, and upon inward movement of the operating slide 25, thecoin is urged by the pins 28 against the margins of the slot 2?] and thelugs 46 so that the ejecting slide is carried with the control slide forthe purpose heretofore set forth, the formations 31-32 preventing returnmovement of the coin once it has been moved a certain distance towardits ultimate goal.

When a coin is deposited through the opening 31 it descends into thechamber 35 to rest on the horizontal pins (not shown) so that the coinwill be held opposite the fingers Should a second coin be depositedbefore the first coin has left the testing chamber, the second coin willrest on the upper edge of the first coin. When the operating slide 25 isretracted (toward the left), the first coin will be pushed against thetesting fingers 38 and substantially at the same time the horizontalpins will be withdrawn from supporting position beneath the coin, andthe gate M will open (provided the coin is acceptable) to permit passageof the coin into the chamber 42 also, at this time, the blocking leverwill move its nose portion across the upper part of the chamber 3%against the second coin so that the latter will be prevented fromdescending until the horizontal pins are restored to normal position.Likewise, any coins resting above the second coin will be prevented frommoving downwardly by the blocking lever 85, it being pointed out thatthe leverages for operating the lever 85 are such that the slightestretractive movement of the slide 25 will cause the blocking lever 85 tomove into blocking position.

-So long as the operator moves the slide 25 back and forth in completestrokes, the coins will be fed in an orderly fashion one at a time intoand past the testing chamber. However, should the operator manipulatethe slide so as to cause the coin to be tested and released for movementdown into the chamber 42 where it will rest on the slide 25, and then,instead of completing the retractive movement of the slide 25, start toreturn the slide (toward the right), any subsequently desposited coinsin the chamber 36 might be tested and released so as to stack up abovethe chamber 42 and become jammed in the latter, thereby creating adanger of putting the machine out of commission or the failure of themachine to deliver an article for each coin deposited. The mechanism8fl--83 prevents operation of the coin testing device so long as a coinrests in the region of the mouth 43 of the chamber 42, the nose of thefeeler or dangler 80 being prevented from moving into the slot 82, withthe result that the dog leg lever 60 is prevented by abutment of itsoffset 83 against the feeler 80 from being raised, and as a consequencethe operating plate 39 of the testing device cannot be raised. Thus, solong as a coin remains in blocking position in front of the nose of thefeeler 80, the blocking lever 85 will remain in blocking position, and acomplete operating stroke of the manual slide 25 must be made in orderto free subsequent coins for movement into coupling position relative tothe slides.

This application claims as novel the combination of coin-operatedlocking means, such as the structure 80-83, with coin-coupled operatingmembers and a coin testing device arranged to deliver coins intocoupling relation with said members.

The objects and advantages of the invention may be accomplished byvariations in the form, location, and operation of the specificallydescribed embodiment set forth herein, and it is a condition of thisdisclosure that all equivalent means and arrangements are to be includedwithin the call of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described including a coin testing meanshaving an operating control and mechanism operable thereby for testingand delivering coins one at a time to a predetermined position, andcooperating slide members arranged to be coupled for joint movement by acoin received from said predetermined position, together with levermeans operatively connected to said operating control, said lever meansbeing disposed for operative engagement with one of said cooperatingslides to operate the operating control when said slides are movedtoward said coin receiving position, the combination of means forpreventing a second operation of said operating control before a coin isreceived from said predetermined position by said cooperating slides,said last named means comprising a feeler pawl pivotally arrangedadjacent said predetermined position and having one end portionengageable with said lever means and adapted to block return movement ofthe latter and an opposite end portion disposed in said predeterminedposition and adapted to abut a coin to dispose said feeler pawl inblocking relation with respect to said lever means for the purposeaforesaid.

2. In a coin control device including mechanism for testing coinsincluding an operating member for effecting delivery of acceptable coinsto a certain position, and coacting control slides arranged to becoupled by a coin received in operative engagement therewith from saidcertain position, one of said coacting slides having a coin receivingpocket formed therein and normally disposed with said pocket out ofalignment with said certain position, said coin gravitating from saidposition by movement of the said one of the coacting slides to couplethe slides, the combination of means operatively connected to theoperating member and having a portion thereof engageable by said one ofsaid slides for movement by the latter to operate the operating memberfor the purpose aforesaid, and a feeler pivotally arranged adjacent saidcertain position and having a portion thereof normally disposed in saidcertain position to engage a coin and engageable with said lastnamedmeans to obstruct movement of the latter so long as a previouslydelivered coin remains in said certain position.

3. In combination, coin testing means of a type including operatingmeans and mechanism actuated thereby to test and release a coin forgravitating movement into a predetermined position, mechanismoperatively connected to said operating means and arranged to engage acoin at said position and prevent effective actuation of said operatingmeans whereby to prevent release of additional coins for movement towardsaid predetermined position until the first-mentioned coin is removedfrom said position, and coacting movable actuating members arranged tobe coupled for joint movement by a coin element received into operativecoupling engagement therewith from said particular position, saidcoacting members being arranged to receive a coupling coin from saidposition, and one of said coacting members being operatively associatedWith said mechanism to effect actuation of the said operating means.

4. In a coin-controlled device, the combination of a coin testingmechanism including a testing means and having an operating membermovable from a normal position to actuate said testing means and effecttesting and delivery of a coin therefrom, a delivery chamber adapted toreceive coins from said testing mechanism, and a pair of control slidespositioned relative to said delivery chamber to receive a coingravitating from the latter, said slides being coupled for joint controlactuation by a coin received from the delivery chamber as aforesaid,link means operatively connecting said operating member with one of saidslides, means in said testing mechanism actuated cooperably with saidoperating member when the said pair of slides are moved toward coinreceiving position to prevent passage of a second coin following atested coin to said delivery chamber so long as said operating member isdisposed out of normal position to actuate said testing mechanism, andmeans in the nature of a feeler operatively associated with said linkmeans arranged to engage a coin in said delivery chamber and preventrestoration of said operating member to normal position so long as acoin remains in the delivery chamber.

5. Coin-controlled mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair ofreciprocable members arranged to be coupled for joint movement by a coinand movable into a normal relative position to receive a coin, andtesting apparatus including testing means and an operating membertherefor, and linking means connected to said operating member andoperably associated with one of said reciprocable members for actua tionby the latter from a normal position when the same is moved towardnormal coin receiving position, said testing apparatus being arranged totest a coin and effect movement of an acceptable tested coin into acertain position for movement into coupling engagement with thereciprocable members as aforesaid, means in said testing apparatusengageable by said operating member and releasable for preventingpassage of additional coins therethrough while said operating member isin operated condition, means including a feeler lever adapted to abutsaid linking means and situated to engage a coin disposed in saidcertain position, said feeler lever coacting with said linking means toprevent movement of the operating member from operated condition back tosaid normal position so long as there is a coin engaging said feelerlever at said certain position.

6. In a coin-controlled device, in combination, coin testing meansincluding a testing chamber, means for testing a coin in said chamber,releasable means coacting with said testing means for holding a coin insaid chamber prior to operation of the testing means, an operatingmember arranged to actuate said testing means and subsequently releasesaid releasable means, a delivery chamber below said testing chamber,ac-

ceptable coins tested and released as aforesaid gravitating into saiddelivery chamber below said testing chamber, means for holding a secondcoin in said testing chamber while said operating member is in operatedcondition to efiect release of a tested coin whereby said second coinwill be prevented from passing into said delivery chamber while saidoperating member remains in operated condition, coin coupled controlmeans slidably arranged below said delivery chamber and of a type havinga coin receiving aperture formed therein and utilizing a coin forefiective control operation and adapted to receive a tested coin fromsaid delivery chamber, a feelervpositioned to engage a coin in saiddelivery chamber, and means operably engageable by said control meansand connected'to said operating member for actuation of the latter bythe former, said last named means being adapted to be affected by saidfeeler means to cooperate with said operating member and coin testingmeans to prevent release of said second-mentioned holding means so longas a coin remains in the delivery chamber.

JOSEPH w. SRODULSKI.

